Unidirectional Coil Induction System for a Dartboard

ABSTRACT

A unidirectional coil induction system for a dartboard comprises: a plurality of induction loops electrically connected to an electronic scoring circuit and a comparison circuit that are disposed on a dartboard. The dartboard is equally divided into a plurality of scoring areas, each scoring area includes at least one induction loop. All the induction loops wind in the same direction and are positioned in the dartboard. When the dart lands on the dartboard, one of the induction loops will produce a positive induction signal, and a neighboring induction loop will produce a negative induction signal, and then the comparison circuit will inform the electronic scoring circuit to score after determining the induction loop of the scoring area in which the dart lands. Therefore, the present invention can prevent the problem of wrong scoring caused by the dart synchronously cutting several induction loops, and can improve the scoring accuracy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the arrangement of magnetic inductioncoils, and more particularly to a verification and scoring system for adartboard used to record score automatically by using induction coils,which can prevent misjudgment and improve the scoring accuracy.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Dart game is one of the major sports and recreation activities,therefore, the demand for improving the technology of dart productsgrows increasingly. To cope with the demand for innovation and change,various target products also need to be improved in terms of accuracy,convenience and quality. And induction-scoring has long become animportant selling point that the dartboard manufactures are competingfor, and such a scoring function has already been used in internationaldart competitions. Therefore, finding an electronic dartboard scoringequipment to better meet the users' requirement has become an importantissue for the manufacturers.

Currently, the magnetic induction type electronic dartboard sold on themarket has been improved in many aspects, however, most of the magneticinduction type electronic dartboards are provided with permanentmagnetic dart or electrical induction dart. Both of the abovementionedtwo dartboards should be provided with induction coils around therespective scoring areas, and the induction coils in the scoring area towhich the magnetic dart lands serve to output the induction signals tocreate a score. An invention disclosed by Tw Pat. No. 00558628(apparatus and method for magnetizing a dart) is shown in FIG. 1.

In which, induction coils 11 are wound around the scoring area 10 andare connected to a scoring device, at the instant a magnetic dart hitsthe scoring area 10, the induction coils 11 in the scoring area to whichthe dart lands will output an induction signal to the scoring device, soas to enable the scoring device to execute calculation and display basedon the induction signal. Although this conventional scoring system cancreate and record a score after the dart lands on the electronicdartboard, it still has the problem as follows:

The induction coils 11 don't have the function of preventing theneighboring induction, if the magnetic dart hits the edge of the scoringarea, the neighboring induction coils 11 will cut the lines of magneticforce of the magnetic dart, causing misjudgment and wrong scoring.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide aunidirectional coil induction system for a dartboard capable ofpreventing misjudgment and providing accurate scoring operation.

To achieve the abovementioned objective, a unidirectional coil inductionsystem for a dartboard in accordance with the present inventioncomprises: a plurality of induction loops electrically connected to anelectronic scoring circuit and a comparison circuit that are disposed ona dartboard. The dartboard is equally divided into a plurality ofscoring areas, each scoring area includes at least one induction loop.All the induction loops wind in the same direction and are positioned inthe dartboard. When the dart lands on the dartboard, one of theinduction loops will produce a positive induction signal, and aneighboring induction loop will produce a negative induction signal, andthen the comparison circuit will inform the electronic scoring circuitto score after determining the induction loop of the scoring area inwhich the dart lands. Therefore, the present invention can prevent theproblem of wrong scoring when the dart synchronously cut severalinduction loops, and can improve the scoring accuracy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustrative view of showing a conventional inductionsystem for a dartboard;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a unidirectional coil induction system fora dartboard in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an illustrative view of the coils in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is an operational view in accordance with the present inventionof showing the coils when the dart is landing; and

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of showing the scoring operation in accordancewith the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be more clear from the following descriptionwhen viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, forpurpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordancewith the present invention.

Please refer to FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, which are an exploded view of thestructure of the present invention, an illustrative view of the coils,and a flow chart of showing the scoring operation, respectively,meanwhile, please refer to the following description of the embodimentsof the present invention.

The present invention comprises a dartboard 20, a frame 30, inductionloops 40, a comparison circuit 50, and an electronic scoring circuit 70,which are to be used with a magnetic dart 60 to create a scoringfunction. During landing, the magnetic dart 60 will pass through theinduction loops 40. The dartboard 20, the frame 30, and the dart 60 arenot the key point of the present invention but the cooperative elementsof the preferred embodiment.

The dartboard 20 serves as a target for the magnetic dart 60. In thefront surface of the dartboard 20 are formed grooves 21 that cross oneanother, and at the position where the grooves 21 meet is formed athrough hole that penetrates from the front surface to the rear surfaceof the dartboard 20. The grooves 21 are radially arranged to separatethe dartboard 20 equally into a plurality of fan-shaped scoring areas 22and a central circular scoring area 22.

The frame 30 is arranged to form a net-shaped frame according to thearrangement of the scoring areas 22 and is disposed in the grooves 21 ofthe dartboard 20. In the top surface of the frame 30 are formedreceiving grooves (not shown).

Each of the induction loops 40 has a first signal end 41 and a secondsignal end 42 and winds around the respective scoring areas 22. Therespective induction loops 40 winds from the first signal ends 41 to thesecond signal end 42, and all the induction loops 40 wind in the samedirection and are positioned in the receiving grooves of the frame 30.The induction loop 40 can produce an effect of magnetic line cuttingduring the landing of the magnetic dart, and then output a positiveinduction signal A. Meanwhile, the induction loop 40 neighboring theinduction loop 40 producing the positive induction signal A will producea negative induction signal B.

The comparison circuit 50 is disposed on the dartboard 20 andelectrically connected to the respective induction loops 40 forreceiving the positive induction signal A and the negative inductionsignal B from the respective induction loops 40. And then, by analyzingthe positive induction signal A and negative induction signal B, thecomparison circuit 50 can determine the unique induction loop 40 inwhich the dart lands.

The electronic scoring circuit 70 is disposed on the dartboard 20 and isconnected to the comparison circuit 50. And the electronic scoring unit70 figures out the score of the respective scoring areas 22 of thedartboard 20 based on the combined signal of the comparison circuit 50.

For a better understanding of the embodiment, its operation andfunction, reference should be made to FIGS. 4 and 5.

The respective induction loops 40 winds around the respective scoringareas 22 of the dartboard 20 from the first signal end 41 to the secondsignal end 42. The respective induction loops 40 winds in the samedirection and is positioned on the dartboard 20. The comparison circuit50 is connected to the respective induction loops 40 for receiving thepositive induction signal A and the negative induction signal B from theinduction loops 40. And then the comparison circuit 50 can determine theunique induction loop 40 in which the dart lands based on the positiveinduction signal A and the negative induction signal B. And finally, theelectronic scoring unit 70 figures out the score of the respectivescoring areas 22 of the dartboard 20 based on the combined signal of thecomparison circuit 50.

When the dart lands on the unique induction loop 40, the magnetic dart60 will cut the lines of magnetic force of the induction loop at theinstant it hits the dartboard. The induction loop will produce a forwarddistorted wave when the magnetic dart 60 hits the lines of magneticforce at a high speed. And when the dart decelerates, the induction loopwill produce a backward distorted wave and will output a positiveinduction signal A. The positive induction signal A creates a forwarddistorted signal and a backward distorted signal that are to betransmitted from the first signal end 41 to the second signal end 42.Another induction loop 40 neighboring the induction loop 40 thatgenerates the positive induction signal A will produce a negativeinduction signal B, and the negative induction signal B creates abackward distorted signal and a forward distorted signal. The negativeinduction signal B is outputted from the second end 42 to the first end41, and the negative induction signal B prevents the neighboringinduction loop 40 from being affected by the magnetic dart 60.

Therefore, the comparison circuit 50 can determine the unique inductionloop 40 in which the dart lands based on the positive induction signal Aand the negative induction signal B, thus preventing the occurrence ofmisjudgment and wrong scoring.

It is to be noted that the induction loops on the dartboard can bearranged in a staggered manner according to design (two staggeredinduction loops wind around a predetermined scoring area). The twostaggered induction loops will produce positive induction signals at thetime the dart lands on the dartboard, and the induction loopsneighboring the two staggered induction loops will produce negativeinduction signals. Further, after the comparison circuit determines theinduction loop of the scoring area in which the dart lands, it caninform the electronic scoring unit to score by wireless means.

To summarize, the innovative design of the present invention is that thedartboard is provided with a plurality of induction loops, an electronicscoring circuit, and a comparison circuit. The dartboard is equallydivided into a plurality of scoring areas, and each scoring area isprovided with an induction loop. All the induction loops wind in thedartboard and cooperate with the electronic scoring circuit to recordthe score of the respective scoring areas. When a dart lands on thedartboard, the induction loop around the scoring area in which the dartlands will produce a positive induction signal, and the neighboringinduction loop will produce a negative induction signal, and then thecomparison circuit will inform the electronic scoring circuit tocalculate the score after determining the induction loop of the scoringarea in which the dart lands. Therefore, the present invention canprevent the problem of wrong scoring caused by the dart synchronouslycutting several induction loops, and can improve the scoring accuracy.

While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance withthe present invention, it is clear to those skilled in the art thatfurther embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

1. A unidirectional coil induction system for a dartboard, comprising: adart, a dartboard, a frame, a plurality of induction loops, anelectronic scoring circuit, the dartboard and the frame being dividedinto a plurality of scoring areas, each scoring area being provided withat least one induction loop, characterized in that: the induction loopswind in the same direction and are positioned in the dartboard; acomparison circuit is electrically connected to the respective inductionloops and the electronic scoring circuit, when the dart lands on thedartboard, one of the induction loops will produce a positive inductionsignal, and a neighboring induction loop will produce a negativeinduction signal, and then the comparison circuit will inform theelectronic scoring circuit to score after determining the induction loopof the scoring area in which the dart lands.
 2. The unidirectional coilinduction system for a dartboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein themagnetic dart will pass through the induction loops during landing. 3.The unidirectional coil induction system for a dartboard as claimed inclaim 2, wherein the induction loops on the dartboard are arranged in astaggered manner, so that the scoring area with the staggered inductionloops will sense two positive induction signals.
 4. The unidirectionalcoil induction system for a dartboard as claimed in claim 2, wherein thecomparison circuit will inform the electronic scoring unit to score bywireless means after determining the induction loop of the scoring areain which the dart lands.
 5. The unidirectional coil induction system fora dartboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the dartboard serves as atarget for the dart, in a front surface of the dartboard are formedgrooves that cross one another, and at each position where the groovesmeet is formed a through hole that penetrates from the front surface toa rear surface of the dartboard, the grooves are radially arranged toseparate the dartboard equally into a plurality of fan-shaped scoringareas and a central circular scoring area; the frame is arranged to forma net-shaped structure according to the arrangement of the scoringareas, and the frame is received in the groove of the dartboard; each ofthe induction loops has a first signal end and a second signal end andwinds around the respective scoring areas, the respective inductionloops winds from the first signal ends to the second signal end, and theinduction loops wind in the same direction and are positioned inreceiving grooves of the frame; the comparison circuit is disposed onthe dartboard and is connected to the respective induction loops; theelectronic scoring circuit is disposed on the dartboard and is connectedto the comparison circuit and serves to figure out the score of therespective scoring areas of the dartboard based on combined signal ofthe comparison circuit.
 6. The unidirectional coil induction system fora dartboard as claimed in claim 2, wherein: the dartboard serves as atarget for the dart, in a front surface of the dartboard are formedgrooves that cross one another, and at each position where the groovesmeet is formed a through hole that penetrates from the front surface toa rear surface of the dartboard, the grooves are radially arranged toseparate the dartboard equally into a plurality of fan-shaped scoringareas and a central circular scoring area; the frame is arranged to forma net-shaped structure according to the arrangement of the scoringareas, and the frame is received in the groove of the dartboard; each ofthe induction loops has a first signal end and a second signal end andwinds around the respective scoring areas, the respective inductionloops winds from the first signal ends to the second signal end, and theinduction loops wind in the same direction and are positioned inreceiving grooves of the frame; the comparison circuit is disposed onthe dartboard and is connected to the respective induction loops; theelectronic scoring circuit is disposed on the dartboard and is connectedto the comparison circuit and serves to figure out the score of therespective scoring areas of the dartboard based on combined signal ofthe comparison circuit.
 7. The unidirectional coil induction system fora dartboard as claimed in claim 3, wherein: the dartboard serves as atarget for the dart, in a front surface of the dartboard are formedgrooves that cross one another, and at each position where the groovesmeet is formed a through hole that penetrates from the front surface toa rear surface of the dartboard, the grooves are radially arranged toseparate the dartboard equally into a plurality of fan-shaped scoringareas and a central circular scoring area; the frame is arranged to forma net-shaped structure according to the arrangement of the scoringareas, and the frame is received in the groove of the dartboard; each ofthe induction loops has a first signal end and a second signal end andwinds around the respective scoring areas, the respective inductionloops winds from the first signal ends to the second signal end, and theinduction loops wind in the same direction and are positioned inreceiving grooves of the frame; the comparison circuit is disposed onthe dartboard and is connected to the respective induction loops; theelectronic scoring circuit is disposed on the dartboard and is connectedto the comparison circuit and serves to figure out the score of therespective scoring areas of the dartboard based on combined signal ofthe comparison circuit.
 8. The unidirectional coil induction system fora dartboard as claimed in claim 4, wherein: the dartboard serves as atarget for the dart, in a front surface of the dartboard are formedgrooves that cross one another, and at each position where the groovesmeet is formed a through hole that penetrates from the front surface toa rear surface of the dartboard, the grooves are radially arranged toseparate the dartboard equally into a plurality of fan-shaped scoringareas and a central circular scoring area; the frame is arranged to forma net-shaped structure according to the arrangement of the scoringareas, and the frame is received in the groove of the dartboard; each ofthe induction loops has a first signal end and a second signal end andwinds around the respective scoring areas, the respective inductionloops winds from the first signal ends to the second signal end, and theinduction loops wind in the same direction and are positioned inreceiving grooves of the frame; the comparison circuit is disposed onthe dartboard and is connected to the respective induction loops; theelectronic scoring circuit is disposed on the dartboard and is connectedto the comparison circuit and serves to figure out the score of therespective scoring areas of the dartboard based on combined signal ofthe comparison circuit.
 9. The unidirectional coil induction system fora dartboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the induction loops willproduce a forward distorted wave when the magnetic dart hits lines ofmagnetic force at a high speed, and when the dart decelerates, theinduction loops will produce a backward distorted wave and will output apositive induction signal, the positive induction signal creates aforward distorted signal and a backward distorted signal, andneighboring induction loops will produce a negative induction signal,and the negative induction signal creates a backward distorted signaland a forward distorted signal.
 10. The unidirectional coil inductionsystem for a dartboard as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inductionloops will produce a forward distorted wave when the magnetic dart hitslines of magnetic force at a high speed, and when the dart decelerates,the induction loops will produce a backward distorted wave and willoutput a positive induction signal, the positive induction signalcreates a forward distorted signal and a backward distorted signal, andneighboring induction loops will produce a negative induction signal,and the negative induction signal creates a backward distorted signaland a forward distorted signal.
 11. The unidirectional coil inductionsystem for a dartboard as claimed in claim 3, wherein the inductionloops will produce a forward distorted wave when the magnetic dart hitslines of magnetic force at a high speed, and when the dart decelerates,the induction loops will produce a backward distorted wave and willoutput a positive induction signal, the positive induction signalcreates a forward distorted signal and a backward distorted signal, andneighboring induction loops will produce a negative induction signal,and the negative induction signal creates a backward distorted signaland a forward distorted signal.
 12. The unidirectional coil inductionsystem for a dartboard as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inductionloops will produce a forward distorted wave when the magnetic dart hitslines of magnetic force at a high speed, and when the dart decelerates,the induction loops will produce a backward distorted wave and willoutput a positive induction signal, the positive induction signalcreates a forward distorted signal and a backward distorted signal, andneighboring induction loops will produce a negative induction signal,and the negative induction signal creates a backward distorted signaland a forward distorted signal.
 13. The unidirectional coil inductionsystem for a dartboard as claimed in claim 5, wherein the inductionloops will produce a forward distorted wave when the magnetic dart hitslines of magnetic force at a high speed, and when the dart decelerates,the induction loops will produce a backward distorted wave and willoutput a positive induction signal, the positive induction signalcreates a forward distorted signal and a backward distorted signal, andneighboring induction loops will produce a negative induction signal,and the negative induction signal creates a backward distorted signaland a forward distorted signal.
 14. The unidirectional coil inductionsystem for a dartboard as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inductionloops will produce a forward distorted wave when the magnetic dart hitslines of magnetic force at a high speed, and when the dart decelerates,the induction loops will produce a backward distorted wave and willoutput a positive induction signal, the positive induction signalcreates a forward distorted signal and a backward distorted signal, andneighboring induction loops will produce a negative induction signal,and the negative induction signal creates a backward distorted signaland a forward distorted signal.
 15. The unidirectional coil inductionsystem for a dartboard as claimed in claim 7, wherein the inductionloops will produce a forward distorted wave when the magnetic dart hitslines of magnetic force at a high speed, and when the dart decelerates,the induction loops will produce a backward distorted wave and willoutput a positive induction signal, the positive induction signalcreates a forward distorted signal and a backward distorted signal, andneighboring induction loops will produce a negative induction signal,and the negative induction signal creates a backward distorted signaland a forward distorted signal.
 16. The unidirectional coil inductionsystem for a dartboard as claimed in claim 8, wherein the inductionloops will produce a forward distorted wave when the magnetic dart hitslines of magnetic force at a high speed, and when the dart decelerates,the induction loops will produce a backward distorted wave and willoutput a positive induction signal, the positive induction signalcreates a forward distorted signal and a backward distorted signal, andneighboring induction loops will produce a negative induction signal,and the negative induction signal creates a backward distorted signaland a forward distorted signal.